The latest Boston Red Sox departure cements one of former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom's trades as a disappointment.
The move was seen at the time as a swift move to acquire a prospect with a lot of potential coming off a down year but it turned into a significant loss for the Red Sox.
Now, the top player acquired in the aforementioned deal is moving on after failing to find a role in Boston.
"Catcher Ronaldo Hernández has signed a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, per source," ESPN's Kiley McDaniel wrote Wednesday. "Deal comes with a spring training invite. Hernandez played in the Red Sox upper minors for 2021-23 and hit 50 home runs over those three seasons."
Hernández was acquired by Bloom alongside shortstop Nick Sogard from the Tampa Bay Rays for left-hander Jeffrey Springs, right-hander Chris Mazza and cash ahead of the 2021 season.
At the time, Hernández's stock was plummeting but he was regarded as a top-50 Major League Baseball prospect just two seasons prior. It was seen as a wise buy-low investment at the time.
Springs, the other "headliner" in the deal -- had a 6.66 ERA in 52 2/3 innings with the Red Sox.
Since then, however, Springs has posted a 2.53 ERA (150 ERA+) with a 231-to-49 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .211 batting average against and a 1.03 WHIP in 196 innings across three seasons.
Hernández spent a few days on the Red Sox's big-league roster but never appeared in a game for Boston.
Now he'll have to prove himself in the Diamondbacks organization as he looks to find a role with the National League champions.
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